Coffin Couches Take Resting to New Levels

Next time you want to take a load off, how about stretching out on a casket that has been converted into a couch?

The folks at Coffin Couches, located at www.coffincouches.com, have taken the concept of eternal rest and converted it into something that anyone can enjoy. That's right … these caskets have been remodeled into eye-catching couches!

According to it's Web page, the team at Coffin Couches, touts its product as being "green" because the company is taking unwanted or unused caskets and recycling them into something that will be used.

On its Web site, the company states: "Our niche happens to be 18- gauge steel coffins which we collected from local funeral homes primarily in Southern California. It is a health and safety law that funeral homes cannot resell used coffins to the general public. We approached funeral directors with the attitude of recycling. These coffins are not used for burial due to slight cosmetic inconsistencies. They are reconfigured and modified resulting in a finished product - a unique one a kind coffin couch."

I actually think this is a very original and interesting concept. I also like the fact that the folks behind the company also have a sense of humor. If you visit their Web site, you'll read the following:

"If you notice (although it may be too small) the six cast iron heavy duty legs are embossed with the universal biohazard insignia. The reason we utilized this sign was because safety was our utmost concern. If you are not aware, once a human body is placed in a coffin it is considered biohazard tissue. The legs have the embossed insignia for precautionary reasons in the event body fluids are exchanged on these coffins. Perhaps you would feel safe knowing that you are in designated biohazard scene! Ha!!"

I had to satisfy my curiosity about this company, so I reached out to owner Vidal Herrera, a fascinating fellow who runs an assortment of other death-related companies. (By the way, Herrera gained quite a bit of fame when he found the fingerprint that identified serial killer Richard Ramirez, "the Nightstalker," when he was working as a CSI investigator with the LA Chief Medical Examiner's Office.)

Herrera told me that Coffin Couches began selling its couches in November 2007. "Our typical customer is anybody," he said. "Our target customers are tattoo parlors, bike/chopper, horror movie and the Goth genre and of course, funeral directors."

Herrera said the company uses three artists, a welder, a painter and an upholsterer to create the couches. Each couch takes about three days to make.

"Customers love them," he said. "They are tickled to death! "

And just where can the company ship its couches? "Anywhere in the universe as long as they are willing to pay for shipping," he said.

And what about those who are critical of the caskets? The company doesn't really care. Just like everything else, it's hard to please everyone.

If you are a funeral director looking to unload some old or unused caskets, how about giving this company a call? And of course, if you want to buy one of their caskets, I'm sure Herrera would love to hear from you.

I would, too. What do you think about this innovative business concept?